“And your young men shall see visions…” Part IX

Over the past few weeks The Vagabond has been discussing a pamphlet written by the Gadsden Women’s Club called A little book about Gadsden. It tells about the early periods of the Gadsden area. It continues….

Recreations and Sports

The Gadsden Country Club was incorporated Aug. 26, 1919. It is located three miles south of town on the Birmingham highway. The property consists of the original tract of 120 acres and an additional 17 acres that were acquired in November 1937. There is a swimming pool, a small lake, an excellent golf course and a handsome clubhouse that is the scene of many delightful social affairs.

The Goodyear Tier and Rubber Company has sports and recreational facilities for its employees as follows: baseball park, recreation hall, golf course, swimming pool and lake.

The Etowah Masonic Club was formed Oct. 31, 1925. It is beautifully situated on the property formerly known as Elliott Park. Splendid picnic grounds combined with swimming, fishing and boating make this a popular place for summer outings.

The Boat Club was organized in 1928.

The Tuckahoe Heights Golf Club is a public nine-hole golf course that was built in 1930. It has a small clubhouse and is beautifully located on Lookout Mountain.

The Tennis Club was organized April 20, 1934, and has three courts on South Third Street, which are lighted for night playing.

The Gadsden High School Stadium was dedicated and named the Murphree Stadium in September 1934. The first night football game was played here during that month.

The Sportsmen’s Club is comprised of hunters and fishermen. Its aim is the propagation, conservation and protection of game. It functions under the direction of the state game department.

The Legion Hill Development is composed of the handsome brick and stone City Auditorium; the unique open-air Greek Theatre called the Amphitheatre that is built of beautiful native pink sandstone; and modern, completely equipped swimming and wading pools. It is situated on a high bluff that commands a view of the river and the distant mountains. This is one of the finest recreational centers in the South. This development was completed in 1935.

The Gadsden Skeet Club is devoted to the sport of shooting. It was organized in 1935 and is located three miles from Gadsden near the Anniston highway.

Gadsden is represented in the Southeastern Baseball League. Games are played in a new and well-equipped park located one mile from town on the East Side. The first night game was played here on June 2, 1938.

Miscellaneous organizations

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was organized in May of 1882. It was the nucleus of the state organization and a Gadsden woman served as its ﬁrst state president. Its influence has permeated every strata of our city life for more than half a century.

The National Association of Letter Carriers No. 1047 was formed on June 8, 1905. Its objective is to unite fraternally the families and to assist in bettering conditions of the letter carriers of the United States.

The Ladies Auxiliary to the National Association of Letter Carriers No. 364 was organized June 3, 1931.

The Choccolocco Council of the Boy Scouts of America was formed in Gadsden in February of 1910. The objectives of the movement are character building and citizenship training.

A local council of the Girls Scouts of America was organized in 1920. This splendid organization offers an unusual character-building and vocational training program.

During the World War, a local unit of the American Red Cross was organized in Gadsden. Since that time, it has faithfully carried out the well-known, altruistic program of the International Organization.

The Etowah County Medical Auxiliary was organized on April 2, 1934, for the purpose of creating a greater sense of fellowship among doctors’ wives. This auxiliary is active in child welfare work.

The Alabama Astronomical Association was organized on October 23, 1937, for the purpose of stimulating interest in astronomy and the allied arts. This is the only organization of its kind in the state.

The Gadsden camera Club was formed on April 28, 1938, with the desire to aid and benefit by mutual cooperation those interested in photography.

There are three professional organizations in the county with headquarters in Gadsden. The Medical Association was organized in 1878 and has a present membership of 47. The Bar Association dates back to 1895 and has a membership of 46. The Fifth District Dental Society began in 1935. It has 20 members.

Builders

In the foundations of every city, the seeing eye can envision the stones as they were laid laboriously one upon another and cemented with the blood and sweat of those few builders who work not for the reward, but for the unfolding of a better life for all the people. To those women of Gadsden, living and dead, to whom their city was their household and of whom it might be said that often she arose while it was yet night and ministered unto her household, to those living men, and those who have passed on, who have labored through the heat of the day that we and our children might have a more abundant life we pay a passing tribute.

We have seen how the visions of our forefathers have put on the mortality of brick and stone. From this lesson let us dare to dream even more stately mansions for our children. For the dreams we dream today will become the material out of which they must build a greater and grander tomorrow.

Gadsden

Gadsden is on the Coosa River in Etowah County, Alabama, a well-balanced city in both trade and industry, destined to reach unto great heights, served by the profound faith devotion and untiring energy of its natives.